Strides in reducing fossil fuels in Utah are at risk
Progress towards clean energy in Utah has been slow and painful for those who see the benefits of a clean future. Closure dates for two of Utah’s dirtiest coal power plants, and legal challenges to stop increased oil production in the Uinta Basin gave us hope we were getting somewhere, but fossil fuel industry cronies aren’t done fighting yet.
In 2024, Utah produced more oil than ever before—65 million barrels, a record high. More than half of that was exported out of state, much of it from the Uinta Basin, where waxy crude oil is trucked hundreds of miles to reach refineries in Texas and Louisiana. This heavy, dirty oil contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, and if the proposed Uinta Basin Railway is approved, oil exports could increase fivefold. That means more drilling, more emissions, and more air pollution in communities already burdened by poor air quality.
UPHE joined a lawsuit to stop this railway because of the massive risks to human health, clean air, and a stable climate, not just in Utah, but across the country. This project would lock us into decades of increased oil production at a time when science is telling us we need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.
Coal is also making a troubling comeback. While there are only five operating coal mines left in Utah, the lowest in over a century, the Utah Inland Port Authority recently helped open a new mine, and some coal-fired power plants that were set to close are now being kept online indefinitely. Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, and burning it emits toxic pollutants and carbon dioxide, fueling climate change and harming the lungs and hearts of Utahns, especially children and vulnerable populations.
We must not let short-term profits for fossil fuel industries outweigh long-term public health and climate stability. Utah needs to be proactive—investing in wind, solar, battery storage, and energy efficiency. Our health, our environment, and our future generations depend on it.
Salt Lake Tribune article on coal.
Salt Lake Tribune article on oil and the Uinta Basin Railway.
The latest on our lawsuit against the oil railway: